Champs Chicken Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $9K – $410K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Champs Chicken is a quick-service fried-chicken franchise built for non-traditional sites like convenience stores and supermarkets. Franchisees run a store-in-store or kiosk serving fried chicken, tenders, and sides.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Champs Chicken franchise requires a total initial investment of $9K – $410K. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: 2025 filing · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - a newer filing may exist
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored3 of 3 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $9K – $410K
- 0th pct Service Resta…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- Not extracted
- Units
- 397
- 87th pct Service Resta…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Quick-Service Restaurants · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Quick-Service Restaurants median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $9K – $410K.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 64/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHNegative: net -3 franchised outlets in the latest year (33 opened, 36 closed) (Item 20).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -7.2% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Champs Chicken Franchising, LLC
- Predecessor
- None
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President and Chief Executive Officer
- Shawn Burcham
- CEO experience
- 26 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 120 Commerce Drive, Holts Summit, Missouri 65043
- Auditor
- Auditor located in Fargo, North Dakota (report dated August 21, 2024)
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $191K
- vs $203K prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Overview
About
- CEO
- Shawn Burcham
- Headquarters
- MO
- Founded
- 2013
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 36
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 57% below the typical quick-service restaurants franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $3K | $30K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $6K | $380K |
| Total initial investment | $9K | $410K |
Source: Champs Chicken 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $9K – $410K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $3K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- N/A
- Paid to franchisor at signing
- Royalty
- No royalty is charged. The franchisor does not charge an …
- Ad fund
- 0.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 4.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.0% |
| Technology fee | $5K |
| Transfer fee | $3K |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $15K |
| Total fee load | 4.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Champs Chicken makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Champs Chicken unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, royalty rate, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 4.0% — below the Quick-Service Restaurants median of 7.5%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System contracting at -7.2% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Quick-Service Restaurants medians
How Champs Chicken Compares
Category median of published Quick-Service Restaurants brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 397
- Opened
- 33
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 36
- Turnover rate
- 9.1%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -7.2%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -7.2%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Transferred
- 17
- Transfer rate
- 4.2%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Continuity rate
- 90.3%
- Units that stayed open
- Ceased ops
- 10.7%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 33 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
120 current owners across 33 states.
- MN 12
- MO 11
- OK 10
- KS 8
- TX 8
- OH 5
- OR 5
- GA 4
- KY 4
- VA 4
- AR 3
- CO 3
- +21 more states
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20; 6 entries carry no state. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Champs Chicken presents HIGH RISK due to system contraction, multi-state regulatory violations, undisclosed financials, and evidence of franchisor-franchisee disputes over payments.
Why this reads harsher than the B grade: the grade weighs financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency across the whole filing, while this summary lists individual flags without that weighting. The flags are worth checking with current owners; neither is investment advice.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Three Item-3 matters disclosed: (1) TravelCenters of the Ozarks/Wilmoth Enterprises v. Champs Chicken Franchising (Cole County, MO, 2022) — breach of contract over rebate payments, in preliminary stage; (2) Illinois Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (2016) — sold franchises while registration suspended, paid $2,000; (3) Washington Consent Order (2017) — sold franchises without a current permit, paid $3,000.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Auditor located in Fargo, North Dakota (report dated August 21, 2024)
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
License fees are the sole revenue line; recognized over time and consist of license fees received from Pro Food Systems, Inc. Interest income of $11,472 is reported separately as Other Income below operating income.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 64 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNegative unit growth (-3.6% YoY) indicates system contraction and potential franchisee dissatisfaction
- 02MEDMultiple regulatory violations across three states (Missouri, Illinois, Washington) suggesting compliance issues and operational negligence
- 03MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosure (missing Item 19) prevents validation of profitability claims
- 04HIGHActive litigation regarding rebates suggests franchisor-franchisee financial disputes and broken promises
- 05MINORSuspended registration in Illinois and permit violations in Washington indicate franchisor failed basic legal obligations
- 06MINORDeclining unit count combined with non-disclosure makes it impossible to assess franchisee success rates
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 4.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Territory type | No territory protection |
| Protected territory | No |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 1 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Right of first refusalℹ | No |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 60 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | DE |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Three Item-3 matters disclosed: (1) TravelCenters of the Ozarks/Wilmoth Enterprises v. Champs Chicken Franchising (Cole County, MO, 2022) — breach of contract over rebate payments, in preliminary stage; (2) Illinois Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (2016) — sold franchises while registration suspended, paid $2,000; (3) Washington Consent Order (2017) — sold franchises without a current permit, paid $3,000.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 0 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 12 hrs
- Training location
- Franchisee's Restaurant
- Time to open
- 6 mo
- From signing to launch
- POS system
- MicroSale (reporting service); POS not mandated
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: MicroSale (reporting service); POS not mandated
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
126 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Champs Chicken franchise?
The total investment to open a Champs Chicken franchise ranges from $9K – $410K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Champs Chicken franchise owners earn?
Champs Chicken makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Champs Chicken?
Champs Chicken is franchised by Champs Chicken Franchising, LLC. The FDD names no parent company. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Champs Chicken FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Champs Chicken FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Champs Chicken's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Champs Chicken (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many Champs Chicken franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Champs Chicken has 397 total units in the United States, including 397 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 33 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Champs Chicken a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Champs Chicken as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 64 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.